Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Fair Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most people working from home (13.7%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barre | Castleton | Fair Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005Highest |
4,453 |
2,724Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
39.2±7.6 9% below VT |
| Barre and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,210±$9kHighest 15% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13kHighest 11% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,737Highest 6% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,865 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #66 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.